


Pyre

by Coalmine301



Series: Whumptober 2020 [15]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Abrupt Ending, Burnign Alive, Gen, Immolation, Life flashing before your eyes, Mental Goodbyes, No onscreen burning, Not yet sure if he's dead or not, Preparing to burn someone alive, but it migth come later, not yet, pouring fuel over soemone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:07:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27017797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coalmine301/pseuds/Coalmine301
Summary: Before the bearded man could even think of a reply Savage suddenly spills a container of fuel all over him. And of course the Sith makes sure to get quite a bit in his mouth, the wretched taste burning the back of his mouth.Not as much as the flames that are sure to follow.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Darth Maul, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Plo Koon, Plo Koon & CC-3636 | Wolffe, Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Series: Whumptober 2020 [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1908538
Comments: 9
Kudos: 63





	1. Pyre

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Whumptober prompt "Fire"

A heavy lump forms in Obi-wan’s throat as he looks at Qui-gon. Or what’s left of him. The flames hungrily eat at what once was once a strong and powerful man, now an empty husk. Nothing more. 

How Obi-wan desperately longs to fling himself on the fire and burn beside his Master. Because how can he possibly carry on now that his heart has been torn from his chest and is now burning before him? 

He knows it’s not a good thought but he can’t bring himself to care. There’s only one thing holding him back.

_Train the boy..._

Obi-wan turns to look at the small slave boy at his side. The blonde stares back, blue eyes wide with awe and uncertainty. “What will happen to me now?”

Obi-wan’s throat suddenly feels dry but he forces himself to respond. “The Council has gifted me permission to train you,” he replies evenly. As if his world hasn't been shaken to its very roots and his chest torn asunder form the inside out. “You will be a Jedi. I promise.”

He cannot fail this boy as he had failed his late mentor. He won't.

* * *

Obi-wan tugged against his restraints only to find the balck ion chains as unyielding as ever. He’s laid out on his back, arms secured at his sides, in a perverse imitation of a traditional jedi funeral.

Maul leans over him, amber eyes burning with some animalistic desire to watch him burn. To see him scared and trembling on the pyre.

Obi-wan snarled and curled his teeth in response. Like hells would he give the Sith the satisfaction.

“Tell me, Kenobi,” the zabrak sneers with crooked yellow teeth. “What happens to us when we die?”

Obi-wan doesn't honor him with a response. The gag wouldn’t let him anyway.

“It’s one of the greatest mysteries of the modern age. With all this advanced technology at our fingertips there are still many things we don’t know. This included.” To Obi-wan’s surprise a wry smirk tugs at the corners of Maul’s mouth. “Luckily for you, Kenobi, you get to find out.”

Before the bearded man could even think of a reply Savage suddenly spills a container of fuel all over him. And of course the Sith makes sure to get quite a bit in his mouth, the wretched taste burning the back of his mouth. 

Not as much as the flames that are sure to follow.

Out of the corner of his eye he can see Maul’s turned back, the zabrak fiddling with a holoprojector. For a moment he dosne;’t know the purpose until an all too familiar voice calls out. 

“Obi-wan?”

_Anakin!_

Instantly the redhead’s struggles begin anew. He cranes his neck, desperate to see his former apprentice’s face. He knows it’s pointless to try, but he still attempts to say his best friend’s name through the crude gag. 

At last their gazes meet, blue orbs each peering into the other. His brother stares back, tanned face pale and eyes blown wide in fear and utter horror.

“What do you want, Maul?” A deep baritone growls. 

Mace. Mace is here to witness this as well. Well, about as ‘here’ as a holocall could be.

Maul chuckles a deranged, broken sound. “What I want? I think it’s quite clear what I want.” 

And he turns to gaze at his captive once more. There’s something in those crazed sulfur eyes, something that wasn’t there before, that sends dread speaking through his blood. And for a moment the only thing Obi-wan feels is fear.

_Isn’t this what you wanted? _A voice in the back of his mind whispers. _The younger you on that fateful day on Naboo would have been grateful for this opportunity...___

__Not like this._ _

__He tugs at the chains once more, hoping for escape. For someone to bust down the door and save him from this madness._ _

__But as he sees Savage light a match over him he knows no rescue will come. Not in time to save him from this._ _

__All he can do is close his eyes and hope he’ll see Qui-gon again._ _


	2. Kindle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oops,” Savage deadpanned. “My fingers slipped.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, I kinda got carried away with this one. Who knew writing an imolation fic would be so rivetting?

Maul could hardly believe his luck. Not only was he able to finally slaughter his hated enemy, but he’d get to see the horrified faces of the pathetic jedi Council. It was all almost too good to be true.

“It’s simple,” the zabrak grinned, flashing predatory canines. “Either Kenobi burns or Hecatomb does. Personally I’d like both,” he faked a sorrowful sigh “but beggars can’t be choosers, I suppose.”

The blonde Knight with the scar glared daggers at him. If looks could kill, Maul would have long since keeled over. Fortunately such a pouty face lacked that power. Otherwise he wouldn’t get to see his nemesis burn like he so desired. 

“You won't get away with this,” the young man snarled, eyes gleaming dangerously. It was a threat about as explicit as could be, but Maul felt no fear. What could one pathetic Jedi do to him from millions of parsecs away? 

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Nothing the blonde -or any of them, for that matter- could do would stop him now.

As Maul took the blonde in he realized faintly that the human actually looked kinda familiar. It wasn’t long before he could put a name to that angry face. Ah, this must be Skywalker. The whelp Kenobi trained and was oh so proud of. 

And the one Maul’s former master was training to replace him. The Sith’s lip curled at the reminder.

No matter, sooner or later they would all fall. Starting with Kenobi.

“My dear boy,” Maul sneered triumphantly in a mockery of Sidous' silken tone. “I already have.”

* * *

When Plo Koon quietly stepped outside the council chamber it could easily be attributed to him feeling queasy. There were many he proudly considered his children, with Obi-wan among them. One of the last ones left alive,as well. Hopefully he would stay that way.

But it wasn’t illness that made the kel dor slip outside. He remained just outside the massive wooden doors, close enough to hear everything going on inside… just in case he needed to give more specific directions.

“Wolffe,” he muttered into his comm, keeping his voice low. The Master wasn’t sure just how much Maul and his brother could actually hear, but he didn’t want to take any chances.

In an instant his commander sprung to life in a dulled flash of blue. “I’m with you, buir,” the clone replied. He seemed to sense the significance of the kel door’s lowered voice and quieted his own as well. “Have you received any word?”

“Yes, unfortunately,” the Jedi rumbled back. “We just received word that Kenobi is being held by the Opress brothers on the planet Hecatomb.”

“Sir, are you sure this news is… reliable,” Wolffe hesitantly asked. It wouldn’t be the first time over the past few months that the Council had been tipped off to their missing youngest member’s location. Nor the first time they rushed to check it out only to discover it to be a false alarm.

“I’m afraid so,” the kel dor replied. “The report came directly from the brothers themselves.”

“Osik” was quickly muttered under someone’s breath. The clone turned to shout over his shoulder at some invisible person just out of frame. 

“We have a squad not far from there,” the clone reported, turning back to the Jedi Master. “Should be able to get to Kenobi in 45 minutes, maybe less.”

Hopefully less. From his own unfortunate experiences Plo knew it took most humans less than five minutes to die from an inferno. And even though Kenobi might not have been pure human, his nearly unusual hardiness one tell-tale sign, the kel dor wasn’t sure how much longer he could possibly survive such a blaze. 

Hopefully he wouldn’t have to find out.

Hopefully the troopers would be able to shave off a staggering forty minutes off their arrival time. Or at least that the Council could keep the brothers distracted long enough.

‘Be fast’ he wanted to say. ‘Speed up,’ he wanted to say.

Instead he merely said. “Thank you, Commander.” Now was not the time for hastiness. Not when Kenobi’s life hung delicately in the balance.

“Any time, buir,” Wolffe replied before winking out in a flash of blue.

As soon as the comm was completely off the kel door took a deep, shaky breath. _Just hang on, Obi-wan,_ he thought. _Help is on its way._

* * *

“Stop for a moment, Maul. And actually think about what it is that you’re doing,” a dark skinned human stepped forward, holding out a hand in warning. The audacity. “Do you really want to become an enemy of the Grand Army of the Republic?”

At those words he feigned a surprised look of innocence. “Become?” He turned to look over at Savage, the more muscular brother standing above Kenobi’s head. “Brother, I thought for sure we already were.”

He turned back to face the pathetic Council, a cruel grin still tugging at his lips. The Sith took a moment to look them all up and down. They were an odd gaggle of warriors from a melting pot of races as different as can be. 

And, well, he used the word “warriors” sparingly. Some of them looked quite old and weathered. That odd green one looked like he was going to keel over any second now. How that thing was still alive was a complete mystery. 

Seemingly unbothered by the interruption, the bald kroun continued stoically on with his warning. “If you stop right now and let Kenobi go we will forget about this whole event. I’m sure there’s a civilized agreement we can come to that will please both parties.”

Maul just barely resisted the urge to scoff. He had Kenobi chained down and vulnerable, revenge was right in his grasp. What could the Jedi possibly offer that would be even as fraction as good?

Suddenly he paused, a realization coming to him. The Jedi didn’t truly want to negotiate. They wanted to keep him talking, stalling to buy more time. No doubt a frantic rescue attempt was well underway.

It wouldn’t succeed. 

He sent the message to Savage through the bond, receiving gruff confirmation in reply. Nice try, jedi fools. But not enough. 

“If it’s credits you after, we can easily secure you some,” the korun continued on, ignorant of the brothers’ discovery. “And if you desire more illegal payment, something can very easily be arranged. There is absolutely no need for-”

Halfway through that offer the match dropped. The room grew silent as a tomb as they watched it fall on slow motion.

The instant it touched Kenobi’s fuel-soaked body it lit, the Jedi’s form suddenly wreathed in violent flames. Scream after scream tore from Kenobi’s throat, growing in clarity as the rag stuffed in his maw burned. 

“Oops,” Savage deadpanned. “My fingers slipped.”

* * *

Here’s the thing about fire: it’s a wild thing, fluttering and dancing about, but when kept in one place it almost seems… tame. You don’t fear the spark at the end of a candle wick. You don’t look at the blaze in the fireplace and worry it will burn down your home. It’s contained, secure.

It’s all too easy to forget just how wild and unrelenting a true inferno is. 

The fire roared in Obi-wan’s ears, within them, as he struggled fruitlessly against the chains. His gag, soaked in engine fuel, made sure not even the inside of his mouth escaped fiery torment. 

It would be tricky eating with this when he got out of this. _If_ he got out of this. It was looking more and more unlikely with every passing heartbeat.

Qui-gon had looked so peaceful on his own pyre. He had simply laid there, calm and still as if carved from wax, as the fire slowly enveloped him in its orange embrace. It had seemed like such a peaceful end.

It was foolish of Obi-wan to expect the same. Pain unlike any other raced through his veins, his entire nervous system alight with agony. It was hard to think when every nerve seemed to be on fire, screaming in agony. His body thrashed with a mind of its own, desperately struggling against chains that had given no yield before and certainly won’t now. 

The suppressant drugs in his veins burned up, the Force gradually returning to his tortured form. It was a cruel irony that by now he was far too weak to use it. Even merely syphoning off his pain was almost too much.

There were noises around him he could barely make any sense of. Cries of horror and denial, maniacal laughter, agonized screams. Oh... those screams were coming from him, weren’t they?

His mind was growing hazy, his struggles dying down as the pain only built. His throat felt raw from screaming, those too growing quieter and quieter with every utterance. 

Obi-wan knew his end was soon and could now feel it fast approaching. 

There were so many things he’d never gotten the chance to do. Planets he’d never visited, foods he’d never tasted, people he’d never met. Anakin had offered to teach him to play a card game called Hutt’s Shuffle. Now he never would never learn.  
Anakin… the thought of his brother caused Obi-wan’s heart to clench with something other than pain. Not physical pain, at least. 

He had watched his best friend grow from a shy, nervous slave boy to a confident and powerful general of the GAR. A general who had only recently taken on a young apprentice, their Lineage -their family- steadily growing.

Obi-wan hated to leave them all like this. But he realized he had no other choice, really. His family would continue on, they always did. 

‘Take care of them for me,’ the redhead thought to the man who was a brother to him in all but blood. Obi-wan never knew if Anakin had received it or not. He found it didn’t matter.

As long as his family was safe then that was all he cared about.

And then everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does he survive? Does he die?  
> You don't know. I don't know yet. We'll find out together! :D
> 
> Fun fact: the name for the planet, Hecatomb, is defined as "(greek or roman) a great public sacrifice, originally of a hundred oxen." Bullheadedness aside, it's not quite acucrate with the oxen part, but a "great public sacrifice"? Yeah, that fits here. Not sure yet who exactly they're sacrificeing Obi to -maybe Nemesis/Adrestia, spirit of revenge. 
> 
> Also, acording to wordhippo.com hecatomb can be described as "The act of immolating, or the state of being immolated, or sacrificed", which works just perefectly. 
> 
> This dosen't really add anything to the plot but I had a bit of fun researchign it and thought it'd be kinda inetrestign to share.


End file.
